The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-23

lOu VIII hOb WOuueT bAht, uuFlb& buOso
years OF exile over the sea it became
thing taken for granted that 1 should
never preach again. For, taking counsel
OF the courts of ecclesiastical inquest
from which my certificates of licensure
and ordination had been derived, what
was there left to preach about? The text
ure of theological tradition had been I'M
ravelling for years; and was not this the
very warp and wool of Christian preach
ing?
What happened at the termination of
that long exile over the sea need not be
rehearsed in this presence; for the story
of that period is largely the story OF my
labors with this church.
I wonder il my hearers have consider
ed what change has come over ortho-
dox preaching during the past quarter Of
a century. II should preach from this
pulpit next Sunday morning almost any
one OF the doctrinal sermons of Edwards
or Emmons or Dwight, or any other Of
the orthodox divines OF New England
during period beginning with the close
of the last century and ending, say with
the year 1926. the deliverance would be
voted by an overwhelming majority of
the church and congregation to be mop
perfume in the highest degree. IL any
candidate for your SURFACES as my sue
cessor in this desk shall venture the ex-
pertinent of trial sermon at all kindred
to doctripal sermon OF half century
ago, it would require no exceptional gift
OF prophecy to predict that he will fail of
making his calling and election sure!
But no man is likely to make such an
experiment. Even preachers who are the
strictest copstructionists OF the theolo-
gies of past ages, have caught the conta-
gion OF popular thought and construct
their sermons more to fit the acquisitions
OF life than the Procrustean beds of
creeds and systems. Does any man in
his senses suppose that revival Of the
theology of Edwards and Emmons and
Dwight in the preaching OF to day would
bring about revival of religion in the
best sense?
Truth to tell the church and the world
alike are "rired to death" of theological
preaching; and as culture and intelli-
gence become more disseminated, neither
the church nor the world is likely to call
for resurrection of the old methods.
Well, then, suppose one to have be-
come theological hereto as I have, is
there nothing left which may properly
constitute material for preaching?
There certainly is something left, and
that something has been the vital stuff OF
all true preaching in all ages OF the
world.
Have we got to give up the plenary in
spiration of the Bible? Most certainly we
have. For myself I have no reason for
concealing the fact that gave it up a
quarter of century ago. What then is
left as tribunal OF moral appeal? L
reply the soul is left; and that Bible is
what Jesus intended to authenticate
with imperial credentials when he said
eff the light which is within you be dark
ness, how great is that darknessP'
Have we got to give up the doctrine
OF the trinity? Inever yet found man
who could define it SO intelligibly, as to
give any believer an idea what he was
holding on to or any hereto an idea what
he was letting go of. Surprising this
dogma must be put on the shelf of an an
tiquarian cabinet what is left? reply the
Father God, whom Jesus revealed is left;
and Jesus never dogmatized about the
Trinity.
Have we got to give up the everlasting
condemnation of pagans who lived be-
fore Christ, and of those living after him
who were geographically prohibited from
knowing anything about Christ?
1 am afraid we have, great as the sac
rifice would possibly be to some OF us.
And what then will become Of the For
eign Missionary cause? I reply, the
churches are already beginning to see
that there may be thousand reasons for
diffusing Christian Civilization in pagan
lands besides those which might move
one to "pull chestnuts out Of the fire."
1 might go on and enumerate other
articles Of theological baggage which
have had to be cast overheard to tighten
the ship. But these few hints must suf-
fee.
What then, / ask again, and in conclu-
sion, is left subject matter of preaching?
reply everything essential is left
God is left, the soul ia left, Immortality
is left, moral responsibility is left, all OF
these postulates provided for and pro-
claimed in the structure of mind.
The man who thinks nothing is left
as material for preaching, when the pecu-
liarities of traditional theology are part
ed with, gives abundant evidence that his
religion is a creed and not faith. So
then, making no attempt to conceal my
wide departures from the lines of tradi-
tional theology, still find reason for con-
sidering the preachers function as not
only highly respectable one but the
noblest function which can be committed
to a human being. Let this testimony
be my farewell word to you. go forth
from you week hence not knowing
whittier events will Gull me. 1 have
found myself in certain ecclesiastical as
sociations, bearing label which misrep-
resented the contents of the package
Wherever 1 go and whatever do, /
shall seek better conformity between
label and package; in other words shall
try to value personal sincerity as vir-
tuous woman values her virtue, and not
expose it for sale or for rent at any price